Signal device for bale forming machine

Abstract

A round bale forming machine comprising a frame supporting substantially circular rollers at opposite sides of the frame supporting inner and outer portions of an endless flexible apron arranged in a substantially C-shaped configuration upon the sets of rollers with the ends of said configuration spaced apart to comprise an inlet for crop material to be delivered from a pickup head to a bale-forming compartment defined by the inner portion of the apron, drive sprockets on the frame positioned in one end of the C-shaped configuration of the apron adjacent the top of the inlet and takeup guide sprockets on the frame positioned in the other end of the C-shaped configuration of the apron adjacent the bottom of the inlet, the takeup guide sprockets normally holding the portions of the apron taut but being yieldable to permit the inner portion of apron to expand a limited amount against the action of the takeup guide sprockets when a bale of desired predetermined size has been formed, and signal means on said machine interconnected to one of the takeup guide sprockets and operable when the guide sprocket is moved by expansion of the inner portion of the apron to render the signal means operative to alert an operator of the machine that a bale has been formed to desired size.

I claim: 
     
       1. A crop baler machine to form round bales comprising in combination, a mobile frame, inner and outer set of guide members at opposite sides of said frame, an endless flexible apron extending around said set of guide members at opposite sides of said frame in a manner to form a substantially C-shaped configuration having inner and outer portions defining a bale-forming compartment, the ends of the C-shaped configuration being spaced apart to define an inlet for said bale-forming compartment adjacent the lower forward portion of said configuration to receive crop material from pickup means supported on said frame, drive means supported by said frame and engaging said apron at one end of said C-shaped configuration adjacent the top of the inlet, takeup guide means supported by said frame at the other end of said C-shaped configuration, said takeup means being supported for limited movement in a direction to increase the size of said inlet and operable to maintain said inner and outer portions of said apron taut, the inner portion of said apron being expanded a limited amount when a round bale of predetermined size and with a soft core has been formed and said takeup guide means have been moved, power means connectible to said drive means to move said apron in a direction to form a round bale, and signal means actuated by movement of said takeup guide means to indicate that a round bale of predetermined size has been formed in said bale forming compartment. 
     
     
       2. The crop baler machine according to claim 1 in which signal means is visual and is connected to said takeup guide means by actuating means. 
     
     
       3. The crop baler machine according to claim 2 in which said actuating means is a flexible member. 
     
     
       4. The crop baler machine according to claim 3 in which said signal means is a lever having visual indicating means on one end and movable between indicating and idle positions. 
     
     
       5. The crop baler machine according to claim 4 in which said lever is pivotally supported intermediate of its ends, a tension spring is connected to the end of the lever opposite the indicating means, and the flexible member has one end connected to said lever between the pivot and said indicating means.